Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1887-11-24
DIAMOND ROBBERY.
H. 7. Hollingsworth's Show
Window Broken
EARLY IN THE EVENING.
The Thief Escapes and Leaves
Nothing But Hammer
Behind Him.

One of the boldest and most daring
robberries which ever happened il
this city occurred last night at about ter
minutes past 0 O'Clock in the full glare
of the gaslight on Spring street, be-
tween First and Seventh streets. Mr.
Ii. T. Hollingsworth, who keeps q
jewelry store at No. 80 South Spring
street, under the Hammond block
had gone to the theater, leaving the
store in charge OF his clerk, Mr.. Nicol
and his son, Mr.. V. Hollingsworth.
About 8 o'clock customer entered
the store, and asked to see some OF
the jewelry about the center OF the
long counter. Mr.. Nicol waited upon
him and Mr.. Hollingsworth was at the
back part of the store when they were
startled by hearing three sharp blows
struck on the plate glass window and
| the clash of the glass as it broke. In
the window was tray containing a
large number of diamonds of various
sizes. valued in all at about seven
thousand dollars. This was the booty
which the daring thief was after, and
as he reached his hand in to take the
tray Mr.. Nicoll caught sight OF his
face, which was covered witha dark
beard steaked with gray. No sooner
did the occupants of the store realize
what had happened than they ran
around the corner to the front door OF
the store, but no one was in sight
The thief had disappeared as if into
the air. Adjoining the store is a
hallway, numbered 2S, leading up
into LODGING house over head.
Coming to the conclusion that, since
no one was to be seen in the street
the thief had gone up the stairs, a
search was made in that direction. A
hurried ascent of the stairs did not
reveal the man looked for, but it was
discovered that he had used them as
a means OF escape. Leading from the
hallway into the back yard is pair
of stairs, and it was evident that he
had gone down these and escaped
INTO the alleyway behind, for the gate
leading thereto was unlocked and
open, whereas it had been locked ear
lier in the evening by the landlady.
Lodgers in the building stated that
they had seen man pass
through the hallway with his hands
over his face. So far as they could
tell he answered the description given
by Mr.. Nicol. AS soon as possible
word was sent to the police station,
and Chief Darcy, after learning the
particulars, started out to see II he
could get on the track OF the thief.
1t was considered that the thief,
whoever he was, had carefully
planned the robbery, and had waited
for the opportunity until no one
was in that nei.hbothood before
he used his hammer Which he
dropped and which is in the hands Of
Mr.. Hollingsworth. 1t was also the
opinion that he had q confederate.
who waited for him at the rear OF the
building and unlocked the gate.
Some OF the diamonds on the tray
fell off in the window and were recov-
cred, but so far us could be judged the
thief MANAGED to take about $1,000
worth away with him. Up to u late
hour last night he had not been
caught, and the police We're still on
the lookout for him.
S. b. Areuello found six of the
stolen diamonds, two OF the largest
and most valuable on the sidewalk,
and the others OH the window-sill.